


Fidelity

by fits_in_frames



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: hpslashnotsmut, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-26
Updated: 2006-08-26
Packaged: 2018-01-22 00:24:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1569212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fits_in_frames/pseuds/fits_in_frames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His heart had skipped a beat when he saw Hermione's elegant handwriting adorning something other than his homework, and then again when he saw Harry's name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fidelity

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://coffee-n-cocoa.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://coffee-n-cocoa.livejournal.com/)**coffee_n_cocoa** 's request.

Three days after Neville turned seventeen, his Gran visited a friend at St. Mungo's and decided to send him on her weekly shopping trip to Muggle London. He knew how to get there on the underground, without magic (he hadn't taken his Apparation test yet, and he wasn't very good at it anyway), because he'd accompanied her a thousand times before. The list today was short (a ball of twine, a box of tea and a new watering can), so he knew he had time. He clutched a package next to the note in his pocket that had been delivered to him in his bedroom this morning. It read:

_Neville-_

Harry, Ron and I would like to meet you for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron at three o'clock this afternoon. No need to reply, see you there if you can.

-Hermione

His heart had skipped a beat when he saw Hermione's elegant handwriting adorning something other than his homework, and then again when he saw Harry's name. He hadn't seen anyone from school, aside from Dean Thomas once across a large crowd of Muggles, and he missed Harry the most. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew it had something to do with the insistent, gnawing feeling in the middle of his chest whenever he thought about him.

He glanced at his wrist watch: it was almost three. And there, up the street, was the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn't forgotten how to get there after all. He opened the door and stepped in. It smelled of Firewhiskey and magic. He was going to miss the way Hogwarts smelled like magic, too, but now that he was old enough to go about on his own, he could come here whenever he wanted and--

Hermione was standing in front of him, hands crossed and lips curved in a tiny smile. After a moment, she outright grinned and leapt on him, crushing his arms to his sides. "Hello Hermione," he squeaked. He looked past her to the dark corner where Ron, covered in brown dust from head to foot, seemed more than a little jealous.

"Oh Neville!" Hermione said. "I'm so glad you came! Ron was just beginning to wonder if you hadn't gotten my note." She glared at Ron and he bit his lip and turned scarlet.

"Sorry," Neville said quickly. "I had a bit of trouble on the underground. Still haven't taken my Apparation test yet," he added when Ron look more puzzled than usual.

"Haven't even scheduled mine," came a voice from behind Ron. He stepped aside to reveal a very different Harry than Neville had been expecting. He was slightly skinnier than before, paler, and his hair was messier than usual. There were smudges on his cheeks and forehead (obscuring his scar), a hole in the shoulder of his t-shirt, and less life in his eyes behind his permanently-askew glasses. He looked up from his Butterbeer and smiled weakly. "Don't think I'm going to. Ron is pretty good and I don't mind Side-Along as much as I used to."

Unsure of how to respond, Neville only said, "Hi Harry," before being ushered into a seat next to him by Hermione. The gnawing feeling wouldn't go away as he opened the Butterbeer on the table before him. Harry was nearly half-done with his own.

"Ron," said Hermione, "I think we'll need more drinks soon." Ron touched Harry on the arm, who nodded sharply. After a long moment, he followed Hermione to the bar, curling an arm reluctantly around her waist.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, turning to Neville. "He can be overly protective sometimes. It's a weakness he'll have to get over." He barked a short laugh, and pushed his glasses up his nose.

Feeling awkward and out of place, Neville reached into his pocket and produced a small package wrapped in brown paper. "I have a present for you. I know it's not much, but it's something," he said and pushed it towards Harry.

"Oh, Neville, you shouldn't have," he said, his voice a little stronger. He tore through the paper and opened the box. There was a slippery, black and silver chain with a tiny black metallic rose dangling off it. Harry held it up to the light, and the jewel in the middle of the rose glinted. "Neville, I don't know what to say."

"It was my mum's. My dad gave it to her when they got married. It's got a protection charm on it that radiates for a few feet--just enough for one person. Gran said she was saving it for next year, for after Hogwarts, but she gave it to me last month. Just in case. And don't even think about refusing it," he added sternly when Harry started to protest. "You need it more than I do."

"Neville, I--I don't know what to say." Harry ran a finger along the chain, traced the tiny indentations of the rose, then looked up and smiled. "Thank you."

"It's nothing," he said, blushing. Ron was glancing over his shoulder at them, and Hermione kept tugging on his sleeve.

"Er, I don't have anything for you, Neville," Harry said nervously. "To be honest, I'd forgotten it was my own birthday until Hermione suggested we go for drinks. But I asked you here because I want to talk to you, wizard to wizard. Is that all right?" He put his hand over Neville's, who nodded. Harry cast a Silencing charm around them, but spoke in a low whisper anyway. "Neville," he said, "I want you to be my Secret Keeper."

Neville nearly choked on his Butterbeer. He swallowed, then stared for a moment, open-mouthed. "Harry, I--I can't--Harry--"

Harry grabbed his shoulder, hard. "You can, Neville. You saved my life once. I know you can do it again."

"Harry, I didn't--"

"Neville, listen to me. I have to go into hiding or Voldemort and his followers will find me. Ron and Hermione are too close to me, Ginny too, but you--I trust you just as much as them, but no one would suspect you. Please," he said, gripping Neville's hand, "do this for me."

He paused for a moment, then nodded. Harry sighed and continued quickly. "We were planning on meeting at eight, next Thursday night. Ron will perform the charm. Can you do that?"

"But where--"

"Oh, almost forgot," Harry said, handing him a tattered, sealed envelope. "Don't open this here. It's the address of an abandoned Muggle house we've been using as headquarters. Hermione's rigged it with a password, that's in there too." His eyes were softer than they had been when they'd started talking, and Neville was glad for it. "Can you make it?"

"It'll be tough to get away from Gran at that hour, but I'll think of something," he said quickly.

Harry smiled and released the Silencing Charm. He called to Ron and Hermione that it was about time to leave. He stood up, his hand lingering on Neville's, and nodded. Hermione kissed Neville on the cheek, and Ron shook his hand firmly, smiling slightly.

Harry had put his jacket back on, and he pulled Neville into a surprisingly strong hug that he wished would never end. With Harry's hands on his back, he finally realized what the knot in his chest meant. When Harry kissed his temple and whispered, "Thanks," one more time, he realized that Harry had the gnawing, too, and kissed his temple back. Then, without another word, they were gone--as, to his surprise, was the knot in his chest.

A few minutes later, he stepped out into the hot August afternoon sun, and set out to find a new watering can that some of his nastier plants wouldn't eat, feeling proud and loved for the first time in a long time.


End file.
